§ Sir Hugh Rossi (Hornsey and Wood Green)I beg to ask leave to present a petition to this House on behalf of my constituent Mr. Brian Simpson, which recites that he has suffered considerable and continuing hardship. In 1988 consultants employed by the Department of Transport published a London assessment study which, inter alia, involves the creation of a motorway running through my constituency between Highgate Wood and Finsbury Park. The publication of those proposals has caused widespread blight. In particular, the petitioner states that he owns two houses in the vicinity of the intended motorway, both of which now cannot be sold except at exceptional and substantial capital loss. Moreover, a bridging loan on one of the properties that he is unable to sell has already cost him some £14,000 and is continuing to increase at a high rate.
The Minister has refused to implement circular 15/69, which it IS believed empowers him either to declare that he does not wish to proceed with the proposals or to pay compensation to those who have suffered hardship. The petition reads:
Wherefore your Petitioner prays that your honourable House request the Secretary of State for Transport to act urgently to end the aforementioned blight, and request him to submit immediate proposals to bring financial relief and compensation to your Petitioner and to all other people who are suffering financial loss or other hardship arising from the blighting effects of options in the London Assessment Studies.And your Petitioner, as in duty bound, will every pray, Etc.That is signed by Brian Simpson of 36 Milton park, Highgate, London N6.
§ To lie upon the Table.